Alice c



(No Model.)

A. G. NASH.

BICYCLE SUIT.

Patented Nov 3, 1896.

wv'inene f UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

ALICE O. NASH, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO FRANK L. DARROW, OF SAME PLACE.

BICYCLE-SUIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 570,676, dated November 3, 1896. Application filed August 29, 1895. Serial No. 560,862. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALICE G. NASH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ladies Bicycle- Suits; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved riding-habit for use by lady cyclists. It is well known, of course, that the ordinary long skirt interferes with the desired freedom of movement necessary to the rider; and at the same time the long skirt is also an element of danger because liable to become engaged and entangled with the driving mechanism of the wheel. Bloomers afford the requisite freedom of movement and avoid the element of danger above noted, but are objectionable because of their lack of artistic appearance and because of their mannish look.

By my invention I seek to overcome all the objections above noted peculiar both to the long skirt alone or the bloomers alone, and I accomplish this result by providing a combination suit involving bloomers and a skirt constructed as a single garment. The construction is such as to afford the freedom of the bloomers, while giving the appearance of the skirt, and the skirt is so arranged with respect to the bloomers that it can neither be interfered with by the wind nor become entangled with the wheel.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a perspective view showing my invention or suit as it appears when in use by a lady rider on the wheel. Fig. 2 is a front view of the habit or suit detached, but with the positions of parts of the wearers body indicated in outline. Fig. 3 is a front view of the dress or suit with the front part of the skirt turned up and the position of the wearers body indicated in outline. Fig. 4 is a rightside elevation of the suit with the skirt turned up atthe side and the position of the wearers body indicated by full lines, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken through the suit from right to left for showing the interior construction.

(t represents an ordinary safety-bicycle with some parts omitted.

1) represents a lady rider thereon.

orepresents the bloomers, and c the skirt, of my improved riding-habit. The bloomers or trousers c are entirely separate from the skirt at the back up to the point of the belt 0 and at this point the back pieces of the bloomers are gathered in and made fast to the belt. The bloomers are also free from the skirt at the front up to the point of the horizontal seam 0 which connects the skirt to the bloomers across part of the front and side lines of the bloomer-legs, as best shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5. From the seam 0 upward the side pieces of the skirt are united to the bloomer-pieces by the side seams a as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The effect of this construction is to make the side pieces of the skirt and the side pieces of the bloomerlegs above the seam 0 out of one and the same piece of cloth, or, in other words, a single breadth or piece is used to make up the side piece, which serves both for the skirt and the upper part of the bloomer-leg atthe side. This piece is shown at c in the several views. Between the side-seam lines o the bloomer-legs c are entirely free from the skirt all the way up to the belt.

The bloomer-legs o and the skirt a are made of the proper relative lengths so that when on the person the skirt will extend down below the bloomers and have all the appearance of an ordinary skirt, with the exception, of course, that it is shorter than a dress-skirt.

With this arrangement of the skirt and the bloomers above described it must be obvious that the same freedom is afforded for the leg motions-as if wearing bloomers only, and, on the other hand, it is equally clear that the bloomers are entirely covered or unexposed to the view. The skirt is held from flying up, or, otherwise stated, is held down to the bloomer-legs, by the seams 0 c and of course gives the appearance of an ordinary skirt dress or'sui't. V g I By actual usage I have demonstrated the practicability, convenience, and comfort of this bicycle habit or dress.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings f represents the leggings or' lower-leg lines ofthe riders- \Vhat I claim,,and desire to secure by Letters -Patent'ot the Unitedfitates is as follows: A bicycle-habit, comprising the outer skirt and the trousers Within the skirt, the said trousers comprising the body and leg portions, the leg portions being free from 'the skirt" fromtheir'lower ends to'a point abo'fi't midway the lengthof the skirt, the outer or hip portion of the body of the trousers and the skirt being in one piece, whereby there is but a single thickness of fabric at the hip portion of the garment, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I afiix'm'ysignature inpresence of two witnesses.

ALICE O. NASH. Witnesses 3 Y J. M. COMPTON,

CHAS. B; COMPTON. 

